Initially, the Social Inclusion Indicators Working Group has decided to adopt a core set of indicators derived from the annual Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion report undertaken by the New Policy Institute and published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Although the group acknowledges there are potentially many other sources of indicators, in the short term it is hoped this approach will allow an initial toolkit to be developed relatively quickly that:
- Enables national comparisons
- Allows for trend analysis
- Ensures data is readily available and easily accessible
In the longer term the group proposes further indicators be identified and developed that not only expand the range of themes covered but also broaden the sub-groups of population (e.g. young/old, ethnicity) for which the indicators refer.
This approach reinforces the Observatory's role in building and sharing regional data and intelligence, including the identification of information gaps.
It is also hoped the core indicators can be supplemented by other information-rich sources such as the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004, 2001 Census of Population and the Regional Lifestyle Survey. However, it should be noted that these sources might not allow for trend analysis and provide a more 'snapshot' approach.
The toolkit is currently split into the following themes:
Given the large number of largely internet-based resources for obtaining and extracting raw data and research findings related to social exclusion, it is not proposed that the toolkit replicates raw data for each indicator.
The group feels that the greatest value can be achieved by documenting their collective experiences in using the indicators and data sources. Each indicator description is therefore accompanied by a 'Notes/Issues' sub-section that aims to provide an extensive and comprehensive series of caveats regarding, not only technical issues and possible alternative sources for smaller geographies, but also those groups whose social exclusion issues are not adequately highlighted by current sources.
Comparison with other regions
For a selection of core indicators, the New Policy Institute and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation provide regional comparison. In some cases, national and/or regional comparison can also be made at the point of extracting the raw data and links are provided for each indicator where possible.